Dear Editor,
[Re: LETTER City history disappearing, Langley Advance Times, Jan. 18]
I would like to commend 11-year-old Alex Petersen of Langley City for his recent letter regarding the loss of an historic building – the Langley Hotel – in the downtown area of what used to be Langley Prairie.
Yes, Alex, it is out with the old and in with the new.
I am 86 years old and was born in Aldergrove in 1938.
My parents emigrated from what was then Poland. They bought 40 acres of raw bush on 272nd Street at 19th Avenue with my seven-month-old brother, Mike. They lived under a big maple tree, getting water from Bertrand Creek, until they built their little cabin.
In 1945, I was seven years old. We moved to Langley to start Langley Concrete and Tile, a concrete pipe making business. A few weeks ago a tenant at Jack’s Pawn Shop, our family property, wrote about her experiences there. With my dad and brother I put every nail and wood into that building – it was our first home and later our Mom’s (Nettie Omelaniec) rental homes. The vacant lot that was mentioned behind was the first home of Langley Concrete and Tile.
I graduated from Langley High School (now Langley Secondary School) in 1955, the year the City split from the Township (over street lighting),. We were the first graduation class to go from Grade 7 to 12 in this new school.
My fellow classmates have a reunion once a year. I suggested to the local media that they should interview us as we can tell you first hand, up front and personal what life was like in both Langleys. From having one police officer (Corporal Johnston), 200th Street being a gravel road, the names of all our roads given in respect to the Langley soldiers killed in WW1 – now relegated to street numbers.
And yes, Alex the Langley Hotel was where men were allowed in one area and the ladies and escorts in a walled off section, and on Auction Day after Gibsons Auction at 203rd and Fraser Highway, their office was what is/was now a tattoo parlour, you would often find a pig or other farm animal sitting with a farmer.
We have so many stories to tell, but no one wants to listen.
Old men have memories – young men have dreams.
Simon (Sam) Omelaniec, Langley
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READ MORE: Langley Hotel and neighbouring buildings to be demolished
